Means for suspending a lighting fixture or the like



Feb. 7, 1967 A. M. TOFANI, JR 3,303,455

MEANS FOR SUSPENDING A LIGHTING FIXTURE OR THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 5, 1964 INVENTOR. ARTHUR M. TOFANI, JR.

fy WW 1967 A. M. TOFANI, JR

MEANS FOR SUSPEND ING A LIGHTING FIXTURE OR THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 25, 1964 FIG. 7

FIG.

Z WW M M 4 INVENTOR. ARTHUR M. TOFANI, JR.

Uited States Patent 3,303,455 MEANS FOR SUSPENDING A LIGHTING FIXTURE OR THE LIKE Arthur M. Tofaui, Jr., 342 S. 18th St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19102 Filed Nov. 3, 1964, S81. No. 408,588 4 Claims. (Cl. 339-88) My invention relates to means for suspending a lighting fixture from a ceiling.

As far as I am aware lighting fixtures are conventionally suspended from a ceiling by providing bolts which are imbedded in the ceiling and to which the stern of the fixture is secured. While such devices are operative and have been in use for many years, the fact remains that the average person finds it difiicult, if not impossible, to mount or dismount a fixture so suspended. This means calling and Waiting for an electrician, and paying him-an exorbitant charge.

One object of my invention is to provide improved mounting means by which a fixture can be mounted and dismounted easily and quickly, without any skill, and without the use of any tools.

When the use of a conventionally mounted lighting fixture is discontinued, the hole through which the conventional mounting means passed, must be patched. This requires the services of a plasterer to patch the ceiling and, because it is almost impossible to patch the hole without leaving a mark, the entire ceiling, or perhaps the entire room, must be plasteredor repainted.

It is therefore a further object of this invention to produce improved mounting means whereby the hole left upon removal of a fixture, is automatically and decoratively closed without any replastering or painting.

Also, conventionally, the wires of a lighting fixture must be connected to, and disconnected from, the wires in the building. Again, the services of an electrician are needed because tampering with the wiring by anyone other than a qualified electrician will void the fire insurance.

It is therefore a still further object of my invention to produce improved mounting means whereby a lighting, or other, fixture can be mechanically and electrically connected, or disconnected, by anyone, without any skill, Without any tampering with the wiring of the fixture or the wiring of the building, without the use of any tools, without the necessity of shutting oil the current, and without any hazard of a shock.

Generally speaking, my invention resides in providing: (1) a receptacle which is connected to the wiring of a room and which is embedded in the ceiling or other wall of a room so as to be always wholly concealed from view, and (2) a connector which is adapted to be incorporated in the stern of a conventional lighting fixture and to be connected to the wires thereof, so as to be always wholly concealed within the stem of the fixture; said receptacle and said connector having a bayonet slot-like arrangement whereby the lighting fixture can be mechanically and electrically integrated with the receptacle by merely inserting the stem of the fixture into the receptacle and then rotating the fixture relative to the receptacle.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the following specification and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional View showing one part of the receptacle and the manner in which it is embedded in the ceiling;

FIG. 2 is an exploded, isometric view of the other part of the receptacle;

3,353,455 Patented Feb. 7, 1967 FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the lowermost part shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of a mechanical and electrical connector which is adapted to be incorporated in the stern of a conventional fixture preparatory to the insertion of said stem with said receptacle;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view looking in the direction of line 6-6 on FIG. 8;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the part of the receptacle of FIG. 2 shown assembled and ready for integration with the part of the receptacle shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view of the connector of FIGS. 5 and 6 shown'incorporated in the conventional stem of a conventional fixture;

FIG. 9 is a view, partly in vertical section and partly in elevation showing the receptacle part of FIG. 7 integrated with the part thereof shown in FIG. 1 and ready to receive the stem of a fixture shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is similar to FIG. 9 but showing the stem of FIG. 8 integrated with the completely assembled receptacle of FIG. 9 to suspend a fixture which, is shown in broken lines, from the ceiling of a room.

A receptacle embodying my invention includes the part shown in FIG. 1 and the part shown in FIG. 2.

The part of the receptacle shown in FIG. 1 includes a Casing 10 formed of top wall 12 and pendant side wall 14, the lower marginal portion of which is bent inwardly to form flanges 16, to which a cover, or bottom wall 18 is secured by means of screws 20. The casing itself is secured to a joist, or other support, 22 by screws 24.

Bottom wall 18 is provided with an opening 26, to the opposite sides of which are secured lock collars 28, the threaded openings 30 of which register with opening 32 in the ceiling 34 of a room. Opening 32 is finished oil by a decorative plaster ring 36.

The part of the receptacle shown in FIG. 2 includes an insulated, or non-conducting sleeve 44 which has an upper reduced diameter portion 46 and a lower enlarged diameter portion 48, the latter being exteriorly threaded as at 50, for engagement with the threaded openings 30 of collars 28. Reducing the diameter of upper portion 46 of sleeve 44 provides room for wires 52 which lead from a source of current, such as the usual wiring. The bared terminals of wires 52 are connectable to binding posts 54 which are carried by said reduced portion 46 of sleeve 44. The part of the receptacle shown in FIG. 2 also includes decorative or finishing means for closing and finishing the bottom of sleeve 44 in the absence of a fixture suspended therefrom. In the embodiment illustrated, the finishing means referred to takes the form of a cap 58 which fits snugly in sleeve 44 and the bottom 59 of which presents an attractive appearance, or is made to contrast, or to merge with the ceiling 34 of the room.

The bottom 59 of finishing cap 58 is provided with laterally extending lugs 60 which are adapted to slide snugly in opposite slots or grooves 62 and 64 formed in sleeve 44. Near its upper edge, cap 58 is provided with a lug 66 which is severed from the body of the cap only along its vertical sides and is preferably scored so as to be defiectable radially outwardly, FIG. 7. Lug 66 is so located that, with lugs 60 in slots 62 and 64, it will register with a slot 70 in sleeve 44 so that when it is deflected outwardly relative to the side wall of cap 58, lug 66 will enter slot 79. Cap 58 is normally biased downwardly relative to sleeve 44 by a spring 68 confined between the bottom 59 of the cap and flange 71 at the to of sleeve 44.

It will be noted that the length of sleeve 44 should be equal to, or, preferably, slightly less than the depth of 3 casing so that the sleeve may be threaded upwardly relative to collars 28 to bring its bottom 56 flush with the bottom 57 of plaster ring 36 and with ceiling 34.

To complete the assembly of the receptacle, spring 68 is placed in cap 58 and, with lugs 60 engaging slots or grooves 62 and 64, the spring and the cap are inserted upwardly into sleeve 44. It will be remembered that when lugs 60 engage slots 62 and 64, potential lug 66 will register with slot 70. Therefore when cap 58 is moved up until it is above the lower end of slot 7 0, the operator reaches in and deflects lug 66 outwardly or into slot 70. Cap 58 is now slidable in sleeve 44 with lugs 60 moving in slots 62 and 64 and with lug 66 moving in slot 70. The engagement of lug 66 with the bottom of slot 70 prevents cap 58 from falling out, and by making the distance between the bottom 56 of sleeve 44 and the bottom of slot 70 equal to the height of cap 58, the bottom 59 of cap 58 will be flush with the bottom 56 of sleeve 44. The operator next connects wires 52 to terminals 54 and screws sleeve 44 into collars 28 until the bottom 56 of the sleeve is flush with the bottom 57 of plaster ring 36, which is flush with ceiling 34. The receptacle now appears as shown in FIG. 9 and is ready to receive the stem of a fixture provided with a connector embodying my invention, such as that shown in FIG. 8. It should be remarked at this point that any one looking up at the ceiling, will see only the bottom 56 of sleeve 44 and the bottom 59 of cap 58. The bottom 57 of plaster ring 36 is usually covered with plaster and is invisible. If desired, the bottom of sleeve 44 and the bottom of cap 58 can be made inconspicuous, or they can be decorated, as may be desired.

The connecter of my invention includes a cap 74 which is made of insulating material and has a reduced portion 76 which is adapted to be inserted into the upper end of the conventional stem 78 of a lighting fixture and has a flange 80 for abutting the edge 81 of said stem. Cap 74 is provided with a tapered bore and has embedded in it a pair of supporting and conducting members 82 and 83 which terminate in exposed lugs 84 and 86.v Members 82 and 83 are provided with recesses 88 for receiving the bared ends 90 of wires 92, the other ends of which are connected to the light socket to be energized.

To assemble the connector of FIG. 5, the bared wire ends 90 are placed in recesses 88 and a tapered plug 89 is inserted into the tapered bore of cap 74 with hole 96 in cap 74 registering with hole 97 in plug 89. The thus assembled cap 74 is next inserted in stem 78 of a fixture 79 with holes 96 and 97 registering with hole 98 in stem 78. A pin94 is then passed through said openings to hold cap 74 and plug 89 in position relative to stem 78.

To mount a lighting fixture embodying this invention, it is merely necessary to place the stern of the fixture against the bottom 59 of cap 58, with lugs 84 and 86 registering with the lower ends of slots 62 and 64,and to push upwardly against the force of spring 68 until lugs 84 and 86 reach the upper ends of the slots. At this point stem 78 is rotated to bring lugs 84 and 86 into the upper horizontal portions 99 and 108 of slots 62 and 64. This establishes an electrical path between wires 52 and wires 92 through contacts 53 and lugs 84 and 86. Obviously, engaging lugs 84 and 86 with horizontal slots 99 and 100 firmly but detachably interlocks the stem of the lighting fixture with sleeve 44 and simultaneously electrically connects the fixture to the source of electrTc current.

It will be seen that, as shown in FIG. 10, cap 58 abuts flange 71 of the sleeve and spring 68 is compressed. This provides for a tight mechanical connection to prevent loosening of the fixture due to vibration, and provides a tight electrical connection to prevent arcing.

While reference has been made to a lighting fixture. it is within the scope of the invention to use the mounting means for other applications. Also, while the invention has been illustrated as suspending a fixture from the ceiling of a room, it is equally feasible to use the receptacle and connecter of my invention for mounting a fixture on the fioor, or on the vertical wall of a room. Therefore, as used in the claims, the term ceiling is to be understood as including the floor, or a vertical wall of a room.

What I claim is:

1. A device for detachably mounting a fixture, of the type which has a hollow stem, on a wall, said device including:

a receptacle comprising a collar embedded in a wall inwardly of the visible surface thereof, and

a sleeve carried by said collar and disposed transversely of the plane of the wall for receiving the stem of the fixture,

said sleeve having a pair of longitudinal, circumferentially opposed, slots and a pair of transverse, circumferentially opposed slots communicating with the inner ends of said longitudinal slots, respectively,

a pair of binding posts carried by said sleeve adjacent said transverse slots, respectively,

means connecting said binding posts to a source of current and,

a pair of lugs carried by the stem of the fixture and slidable through said longitudinal slots and into said transverse slots for mechanically interlocking the stern of said fixture with said receptacle,

said lugs being engageable with said binding posts electrically to connect the energizable element of the fixture with the source of current.

2. The device of claim 1 in which said sleeve has a third longitudinal slot, and

a cap slidable in said sleeve,

a lug carried by said cap and projecting into said third slot,

a spring in said sleeve normally biasing said cap toward the outer end of said sleeve, and

means limiting the movement of said cap in response to said spring, whereby the outer end of said cap is flush with the outer end of said sleeve, the outer end of said sleeve being flush with the surface of the wall.

3. Means for physically and electrically, detachably connecting a fixture having a hollow stem to a source of current, said means comprising:

a fixed receptacle embedded in a wall of a room with the outer end of the receptacle substantially flush with the visible surface of the wall,

there being opposite slots in the Wall of said receptacle,

a connection having one end thereof insertable into said stem,

means securing said connector to said stem,

binding posts near the inner ends of said slots,

lateral contacts carried by said connector and movable into said slots upon insertion of said connector and said stem into said receptacle, for detachable engagement with said binding posts,

and electrical conductors passing through said connector and detachably engaging said contacts and leading to said stem.

4. The structure recited in claim 3 wherein the connector has a bore and a plug insertable into said bore for retaining said electrical conductors in contacting position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,634,905 7/1927 Jones -.-..1 339-41 X 2,102,625 12/1937 Hubbell 339-42 2,196,842 4/ 1940 Strazzabosco 33934 3,202,812 8/1965 Berry 339-111 3,213,274 10/1965 Stifi'el 321-627 EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

W. DONALD MILLER, Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR DETACHABLY MOUNTING A FIXTURE, OF THE TYPE WHICH HAS A HOLLOW STEM, ON A WALL, SAID DEVICE INCLUDING: A RECEPTACLE COMPRISING A COLLAR EMBEDDED IN A WALL INWARDLY OF THE VISIBLE SURFACE THEREOF, AND A SLEEVE CARRIED BY SAID COLLAR AND DISPOSED TRANSVERSELY OF THE PLANE OF THE WALL FOR RECEIVING THE STEM OF THE FIXTURE, SAID SLEEVE HAVING A PAIR OF LONGITUDINAL, CIRCUMFERENTIALLY OPPOSED, SLOTS AND A PAIR OF TRANSVERSE, CIRCUMFERENTIALLY OPPOSED SLOTS COMMUNICATING WITH THE INNER ENDS OF SAID LONGITUDINAL SLOTS, RESPECTIVELY, A PAIR OF BINDING POSTS CARRIED BY SAID SLEEVE ADJACENT SAID TRANSVERSE SLOTS, RESPECTIVELY, MEANS CONNECTING SAID BINDING POSTS TO A SOURCE OF CURRENT AND, A PAIR OF LUGS CARRIED BY THE STEM OF THE FIXTURE AND SLIDABLE THROUGH SAID LONGITUDINAL SLOTS AND INTO SAID TRANSVERSE SLOTS FOR MECHANICALLY INTERLOCKING THE STEM OF SAID FIXTURE WITH SAID RECEPTACLE, SAID LUGS BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID BINDING POSTS ELECTRICALLY TO CONNECT THE ENERGIZABLE ELEMENT OF THE FIXTURE WITH THE SOURCE OF CURRENT. 